Team:SDU-Denmark/Tour22

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The world with Edible coli

The design of our system. Hunger and malnutrition all over the world must be stopped - every single child as well as every single man and woman should have access to sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. To achieve this aim, we designed Edible coli - the untapped food resource of the century.

Edible coli is an edible, nonpathogenic bacteria, that produces all the essential and nonessential amino acids in proper ratios, as well as ω3- and ω6 fatty acids. In addition to this it tastes delicious with a touch of lemon.

We wanted to design a new food source, that can cover the daily needs for both under- and malnourished people all over the world. As mentioned in Facts and Statistics, these people mostly lack proteins and fats, which is why Edible coli became a protein and fat producing bacterium.
The protein, that Edible coli produce, contains all the essential amino acids in the right ratio, recommended by WHO, Source: WHO/ FAO/ UNU Expert Consultation: Protein and Amino Acid Requirements in Human Nutrition, 2002. Vol. 935. as well as all the nonessential amino acids. In that way Edible coli can also be a great supplement for vegans and vegetarians, as well as for pregnant women, children, and many others. In addition, Edible coli is very environmentally friendly, as it can grow with cellulose as carbon source. Cellulose is found in plant material and is not degradable by humans. But most people in the world have access to cellulose, so with an Edible coli as help, plant material can be converted into protein and fat rich food.

Our idea to ensure access to food around the world, was extended with the design of a biogenerator. The main idea was to create a constant food producing tank that can be scaled and used for several different purposes - it can for instance be placed in a village in Africa, to support the inhabitants with proteins and fats.
The biogenerator is formed as a tank, containing Edible coli. The bacteria will grow and produce large amounts of proteins and fats that can be tapped directly from the tank. Of course the bacteria will be dead, as the tank includes an autoclave.
The tank is only supposed to be started once, after which the food production will be continuous, as long as cellulose is added.

A detailed description of the biogenerator can be found in our Business plan. Click here.

Edible coli is a revolutionary, fantastic bacterium that can help solving worldwide problems with under- and malnourishment. With Edible coli and a biogenerator tank in every village, people will no longer suffer from lack of proteins and fats.
Furthermore, as the bacteria grow very fast and it is a cheap resource, Edible coli can also be thought of as a food source of the future.